Crank-and-pitman connection



T. A. GALT.

CRANK AND PITMAN CONNECTION. (Application filed Oat. 28, 1898.;

(No Model.)

Ill.

Patented Jan. 17, I899.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

THOMAS A. GALT, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

CRANK-AND-PITMAN CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,957, dated January 17, 1899.

Original application filed April 20, 1898, Serial No. 678.216. Divided and this application filed October 28, 1898. Serial No. 694,773. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THOMASA. GALT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sterling, in the county of IVhiteside, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crank-and-Pitman Connections, of which the following, is a description. v

This application is a division from my application for Letters Patent for improvements in washing-machines filed April 20, 1898, Serial No. 678,216.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference-letters indicate like or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a washing-machine equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the machine top or lid thrown upward and backward to its limit of movement. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail of the crank-and-pitman connection, and Fig. 4: is a perspective and Fig. 5 a sectional detail of the same.

In a device similarin operation to the washing-machine shown in the drawings a con struction is desired which permits two opposing parts to move in opposite directions from one another. Many other devices also require the action of a double pitman and crank device. In Washing-machines it is also desirable to so construct the parts that either one or both pitmen may be easily disconnected from the crank.

The object of my invention is to provide such a device of simple and economical construction.

To this end it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents the body or suds-box of the machine, supported on the legs B. The lower concave rubbing-surface (not shown) is pivotally mounted in the box A by the trunnion O, resting in the bearings in the upper edges of the opposite sides of the box, as shown.

D is ahinged top or lid, which is connected with the box A at its left-hand or rear end by suitable hinges. The upper convex rubber E is pivotally hung in the top D in the usual manner and provided with a verticallyextending arm F, projecting upward through alongitudinal slotin the top plate of the lid D.

Gis the operating-crank, which is supported in the brackets H II upon the rear end of the top D and has secured to its right-hand end a hand-wheel I, by which it may be turned. This crank is connected by a horizontal pitman J with the upper end of the arm F and by a second approximately vertical pitman K with the upper end of the lower concave" rubber within the suds-box A, as usual,whereby the revolution of the crank will swing the upper and lower rubbers in opposite directions for the purpose of rubbing the articles placed between them to be washed.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the rear end of the pitman J is verticallydivided or forked to form two arms 0 O, which embrace the wrist of the crank at its opposite ends and are adapted to receive between them the upper end of the pitman K. To enable the rear end of the pitman J to be readily attached to or detached from the wrist of the crank, the upper side of the rear end of the pitman and the upper forward portions of the arms 0 O are cut away or recessed, thereby forming hooks of the arms, with which the wrist of the crank may be readily engaged. The gap or recess is filled in by a removable sec tion P, which is secured in place upon the rear end of the pitman J in any suitable manner, as by a screw-bolt Q. This section P preferably completes the circle of the arms 0 0' around the wrist of the crank.

The upper end of the pitman K is formed with a rearwardly-opening hook, which may be readily engaged with the wrist of the crank between the arms 0 O of the pitman J whenever the pitmen J and K are caused to assume a position the reverse of that shown in the drawings or to approach a position approximately in line with each other; but when they are swung to a position at right angles to each other, as in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the hooked up per end of the pitman K becomes locked to the wrist of the crank by the rear end of the pitman J coming in close proximity thereto, so that the said pitman K cannot become disconnected from the crank. When it is desired to disconnect the parts of the machine, the pitman K may be disconnected from the crank by first disconnecting the front end of the pitman J from the arm F and swinging it upward and backward into a position the reverse of that shown in the drawings or in line with the pitman K. The upper end of the pitman K is then free and may be easily disconnected from the crank.

I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to form the pitman K with a hook at its upper end, similar to that shown in the drawings, and to provide a recess in the side of the rear end of the pitman J, into which recess the hooked upper end of the pitman K may be inserted and engaged with the wrist of the crank when the two pitmen are brought into proper position to permit such insertion and engagement, and by means of which when the pitmen are then turned at right angles to each other the hooked upper end of the pitman K will be locked to the wrist of the crank; but in the instance of this character with which I am familiar the pitman J consisted of a wooden bar of a thickness equal to the full length of the wrist of the crank, so that it filled the entire space between the crank-arms at the opposite ends of such wrists, and the recess provided for the upper end of the pitman K was formed in the side of such wooden bar. When the parts were assembled, one side of the upper end of the pitman K bore against the inner wall of the recess in the wooden bar, while its opposite side rested against the face of the crankarm. This construction was found unsatisfactory in practice and had to be discarded, because the upper end of the pitman K could not be securely confined in the recess in the wooden bar, between the latter and face of the adjacent crank-arm.

In my machine the pitman J is formed of metal and the upper end of the pitman K is securely confined between the arms 0 and 0, formed by its forked rear arms, and cannot become displaced from position or be disconnected from the wrist of the crank without bringing the two pitmen into a position for purposely disconnecting them, as described. The construction and arrangement of my crankand -pitman connection is therefore much stronger and more efficient than that above referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A crank and double pitman device 0011- sisting of a crank G and pitman K provided at its end with a hook adapted to engage the Wristof the crank, in combination with the pitman J having its end forked to form two arms 0 O' to embrace the wrist of the crank on the opposite side of the pitman K, the depth of the fork being such that when in position for operation the base of the fork is in proximity to the rear of the pitman K and prevents its disconnection from the crank, but upon caus ing the pitmen to assume a position the reverse of the working position, or in line with one another,the base of the fork will be swung out of line of the end of the pitman K so that the same may be easily disconnected from the crank, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the crank G, of the pitman J having its rear end forked to form the two arms 0 and O embracing the wrist of the crank at its opposite ends, and the pitman K provided at its upper end with a hook engaging the wrist of the crank and fitting between the arms 0 and O of the pitman J, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the crank G, of the pitman J having its rear end forked to form the two arms 0 and O embracing the wrist of the, crank at its opposite ends, the removable section P completing the circle of the arms 0 and 0 around the wrist of the crank and secured to the rear end of the pit man J by the bolt Q, and the pitman K provided at its upper end with the hook engaging the wrist of the crank and fitting between the arms 0 and O of the pitman J, substantially as described. 7

THOMAS A. GALT. lVitnesses:

EDWARD RECTOR, LEONORA WIsEMAN. 

